Bad Governance 2015

Here are a few examples of how our vaunted Yahapalanaya government has sucked over the last year.

If you are wondering whether I have buyers remorse, I would say no. These guys are better than the last guys. Unfortunately, they still suck. In detail:

1. Bros Before Telcos

In one of his first moves, President Maithripala Sirisena appointed his brother as head of Sri Lanka Telecom. He was more qualified than some of the numpties that follow, but it was still a bad signal. Worse as controversy emerged over a bloated SLT offer to buy Hutch.

2. The Bond Scam

In February, the Central Bank Governor’s son-in-law made a killing buying a lot of bonds at a very high interest rate. Basically, the son-in-law seemed to have information no one else had, but the Governor denied everything. Given that part of his job is being trusted, he should have, but Arjuna Mahendran has stuck around. And the UNP seemed to have plenty of election dosh. Possibly unrelated, but the whole thing stunk like a week-old fish.

3. Ravi In Finance

Despite not being a high vote getter (placing behind Harsha De Silva for example), Ravi Karunanayake has something over Ranil (loyalty, cash, I dunno). He was given the Finance Ministry, which is a bit like the fox in the henhouse, IMHO. Ravi has been indicted for financial crimes (but cleared… after his appointment) and beyond that does not have a stellar reputation. His first proper budget (last December) was amended into non-existence. Also, people he appointed have refused to step down when Ranil wanted them too. And any number of things we don’t know.

5. Hirunika The Criminal

Following in her father’s footsteps a bit, MP Hirunika Premachandra decided to abduct a shop clerk involved in some love affair. She admits to giving him a talking-to but insists that she’s not guilty because she didn’t physically abduct the guy herself. The police seem to be taking her at her word on this dubious logic, when in fact she should be arrested like anyone else.

6. Cricket Crooks

Recently (2016 really but whatev), Thilanga Sumathipala was elected as President of the Cricket Board. He comes from a background in gambling and was convicted of getting a false passport for a known underworld criminal in 2007. At that point he lost the Presidency at the Cricket Board and, despite being acquitted on appeal, no one thought he’d be back. Especially since the lead witness in the trial was shot in court – some horribly gangster shit. But he is back, in charge. What?

This you can’t really lay at the feet of Yahapalanaya, it being an internal election among some seemingly awful people, but this government did put this guy on the National List after he lost the Parliamentary Election, and made him Deputy Speaker of Parliament no less.

So, in sum, that’s all the bad governance I can vividly remember from this year. Tell me if you remember anymore.

9 Comments

I also sense that corruption in general is growing again. Ravi K’s name keeps coming up in the rumour mill but others as well. Soft-pedalling of the big scandals – Avant Garde for example is a worry – those roots seem to go very deep.

What about the extensive system of surveillance that was practised with the connivance of the telco operators – why is this not being exposed? Is it still on-going? Why are they trying to push the biometric digital ID -coupled with the surveillance that used to take place this would be deadly. Torture chambers are uncovered along with hints of a deep state, but the media skims the story and it is then forgotten.

While the going is still good we need to push hard on institutional reforms, to cement the independence of the judiciary, the public servants and measures yo promote transparency in public affairs.

At least we will then have a better hold over governments in the future.

I’m not so sure I’d say the new govwrnment is better than the last. To be honest, personally, they’re exactly the same. With one difference. That being that the previous government never proclaimed it was going to be ‘good’. Where’s my3’s 10 rupee pen? Probably buried with the renovations of his house. Lol. Where this government screwed up was when they went on a rampage trying to show the others and their faults up. Has nepotism reduced? Nope, it’s just a lot of different people engaging in it. Have we seen a reduction in crime and corruption? Nope, still as bad if not worse. Is Sri Lanka progressing? Not really. What’s going to happen to the next few generations? Well, if we continue this way, with a bunch of idiots running and ruining our country, my kids will probably have to live elsewhere. My3 and Ranil have no plan for the future. All they’re worried about is pointing fingers at everyone but themselves in order to take our attention away from the fact that they’re screwing up and consequently they’re never going to be able to run our country successfully.
Unfortunately our Sri Lankan politicians are all the same and majority are uneducated. Ironically, it is these same people that our public voted in, to run our country.

I bet 3 people out of 4 commented above voted for this Yahapalana, So now STFU and enjoy ride :)
This is what happens when the first time voters/ people going to the trend social media/ without any common sense votes. Personally I don’t mind who is in the government as it does not change my lifestyle, as long as we have government with a back bone and stand up against the NGO’ crows who feed from uncle Sam and tell them to mind their own issues!

Well said Sanjiv! We Sri Lankans never gonna learn the lesson of “Inguru deela miris gaththa wagey” (Like Giving ginger away and taking Chillies instead) term. The last regime done something to talk about at least (ending the 30 year war, developing the infrastructure including roads, old buildings, ports, developing the cities etc.) though there were corruption. do you recall anything significant done by this government other than bullshit talk!
you guys voted so enjoy your “Yahapalayanaya”

Thushara, your a typical backward Sri Lankan moron. MR and his gang was there for 9+ years. How can you expect any government to do something in just one year? Actually this government is in existence only for 5 months. Because although MY3 became prez on Jan 8, he did not have HIS government until Aug 17. So, how can you unfair morons ask these people to show anything in 5 months?? How fair is that?? It took MR 3+ years to finish the war, from 2005 to 2009. Did he finish it in 5 months?? Stupid f*cking moron!